2017 'PRO' cycling discussion.

[ave]

>Hey guys free tip don't escalate with someone in a car.
Absolutely. I know too well.

[seaneT1]

So Wout Van Aert seems to be getting back on form, got lucky yestwrday with Van Der Poel having a mechanical on the beginning, but he kept on going full gas for 7 laps and never giving VdP any chance of getting back.

[Rondje]

It's hard to say. Sunday it was all VD Poel again. I think the loads of walking on Saturday was in V Aert's favour. If you don't count the mechanical it would have been a different race since VD Poel kept the gap the same until he went into energy saving mode for the next race.

[mattr]

Couple of points on the course at Zeven he appeared to be coming back until it got to ~2 laps to go, then it was fairly much steady until Toon Aerts started getting too close for comfort.

[tymon_tm]

meanwhile, in a country that just startet to get some nice results:

http://www.thenews.pl/1/5/Artykul/337047,Polish-Cycling-Federation-board-asked-to-resign-over-sex-scandal

something CN and other mainstreem media would shout about if it concerned e.g. Anglo-Saxon countries (we did read a lot about Sutton, didn't we)

it's even more sad all this stuff was allowed to happen partially because cycling is a piss poor sport media don't care about. no journos having insight in what's happening behind the courtain, no one really interested in day to day stuff - I bet a scandal like this couldn't happen in football, where all the players and fat guys are constantly exposed, and one can't go to a dinner with a new broad without full media coverage. here, it's just a bunch of people no one knows outside their small closed circle, and no one gives a damn really. from what I gather, "stuff's been circulating" amongst pro cycling community for a while now, but - here you go - no one was interested.

take an underfunded organisation where superiors steal from athletes, allow them to operate in a dark with absolutely no media interest, add young girls to the mix, and the result is - an ideal recipe for a disaster.

[zirxo]

What do you think about the new Sky kit? In my opinion they should've stayed with 2017s design. It's something about the white and the blue band over the chest that just feels a bit dated.

[Rondje]

I bet a scandal like this couldn't happen in football, where all the players and fat guys are constantly exposed, and one can't go to a dinner with a new broad without full media coverage. here, it's just a bunch of people no one knows outside their small closed circle, and no one gives a damn really. from what I gather, "stuff's been circulating" amongst pro cycling community for a while now, but - here you go - no one was interested.

I'm not sure what part you mean with couldn't happen in football. There have been plenty of sex scandals in the football world, and the whole #metoo posts recently show there are plenty of people in high places in various industries who abuse their power but manage to somehow control it empowered by fear.

[tymon_tm]

yup but in football these were individual cases, I can't recall any scandal involving such a high profile official who would steal and abuse for years. imagine some country's national coach stealing and raping his players - how long do you think he could get away with something like this? here it's been going on for years... and if it wasn't for the recent turmoil with major sponsor pulling out (which I bet had lots to do with the scandal) this stuff wouldn't even surface.

I agree it has a lot in common with the #metoo scandal, esp since it appears as if both the Polish Federation and the whole Hollywood knew and approved.

[bilwit]

What do you think about the new Sky kit? In my opinion they should've stayed with 2017s design. It's something about the white and the blue band over the chest that just feels a bit dated.

I actually like it a lot better than last year's. It's like an updated version of their old Adidas kit (2010-2012). I still think white as a main jersey color is a disservice to racing though, it takes away from the White Jersey and national champs..

[maquisard]

They should try a different colour, I really liked the green Sky logo for the Rainforest charity during the 2011 Tour.

[TonyM]

I was never a big fan of the black but I quite like this new colour combo!

[Rudi]

Do we think they will swap to a black version for the 2018 Tour?

On that, I have a feeling that all (WT) teams are allowed one swap per year. I know Sky did it for the Tour, and I think Lotto Soudal have been doing the same for Paris Nice (Lotto Fix All) - which I really liked their kit and bike colourways.

Do any of the other teams bother and if so, where?

[AJS914]

I was listening to the Velonews podcast today and supposedly Froome will ride the Giro and attempt the double:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2017 ... rand-tour/

Maybe his rivals will then skip the Giro and hope that Froome is too tired for the Tour.

[nathanong87]

lol that would be hilarious. If froome confirms and , last minute they all pull out to attempt the tour.

[IchDien]

If he has no rivals in the Giro surely he'd be less fatigued...